Building the perfect summerhouse

Building a house is the dream of a majority of every people. But the dream can quickly turn into a nightmare. The construction of a house remains a project that is studied upstream: construction budget, miscellaneous expenses, choice of land, materials … Here is the strategy to be implemented to prevent most of the problems that may occur over the years.

Before you start building your house, you must follow a few rules and ask yourself some questions. What are the costs related to the work? How to choose the right ground? Which materials should be favored? Which professionals should I call? Project managed building company can help you in Building the perfect summerhouse extension?.

Prepare your budget for building your house

To estimate one’s budget is not only to add the price of a land and a house, but also to provide the additional costs that one does not immediately think about. An inventory to undertake before making any decision. And this takes time, especially when you go to your banker (and its competitors, of course!) To develop a financing plan and know the contents of the envelope you will have. Then comes the distribution of this sum according to the items: the price of the land, the house, but also other costs difficult to compress.

And here you quickly understand that the adjustment variable is unfortunately the very object of your dream: the house (its surface, its number of rooms, finishes, equipment, etc.).

Costs related to real estate loans

Application fee. They represent approximately 1 to 1.5% of the principal loan amount and are negotiable. Discounts of 20 to 50% are possible.

Interim interest. As you unlock real estate loans, you will begin to pay interest on these amounts until the delivery of your home. Payments that will be added to your current rent. With the builder’s call schedule, ask your banker to estimate interim interest … and continue to negotiate with him.

Field fees

The geological study. Recommended when in doubt about the stability or the nature of the subsoil (see point 2, “Find your land”). Cost of the operation: between 800 and 2000 euros.

The commission of the real estate agency. Most often, it is included in the price of the parcel and paid by the seller. Has it confirmed anyway from the first contact?

Notary fees. They are divided into emoluments and registration fees. It takes about 8% of the purchase price for “average” land.

Put in viability. It’s like “connecting” your land to various services: electricity, gas, water, sanitation, telephone networks … In a subdivision, these costs are almost always included in the price of the land. is sold serviced. For a plot “in diffuse” (isolated), the prices depend on the distance between the limits of the ground and the equipment to be connected.

The boundary. It is indispensable in diffuse. In general, its cost is the responsibility of the seller, but not always. Make it clear and, if necessary, ask for an estimate from an expert surveyor.

The expenses related to the house

The building permit. The procedure is free, but a file prepared by an architect (mandatory above 150 m2, as of March 01, 2017) is not. Fees are free. It must be between 1,200 and 5,000 euros.

Damage insurance. It is obligatory and, as the owner, you must subscribe to it. It is expensive (2 to 3% of the price of the house), but it guarantees you the refund and the repair of the damages which can occur after the reception of the works (the official end of the building site) without having to wait for a decision of justice. Attention, it does not cover the risks of non-completion of the site in case of failure of the contractor. Do not hesitate to consult several insurers to find the best price.

Road fees, networks and distribution. They come in addition to the viability and concern what happens between the boundaries of the land and your home. The connection of the building to electricity, water, sanitation, collection, evacuation of rainwater, not to mention the access roads to the entrance and the garage. Expenses generally forgot by the manufacturers in the prices displayed in their catalogs. If this is the case, ask for a quote from a digger.

Small essential expenses. Installation of water meters, gas, telephone line, the cable that connects the EDF cubicle to your electrical panel and must be done by Erdf (about 12 euros per meter TTC). If the length exceeds 30 meters, the manufacturer can do it. Ask him for his price.

Finishes. Think about it now. The paints, floor coverings of rooms, furniture and kitchen equipment … are often omitted from the advertised rates, or, if they are, rarely correspond to the high end. If you want specific products (solid parquet for example), there will be an additional cost.

Various taxes

The connection fee to the sewer. It represents a few hundred euros. The town hall will tell you the amount.

The local equipment tax (TLE). It is calculated according to the total surface of your house (the Shon, net surface area), loans obtained and the rate applied by the municipality. And pays in two installments: the first half, eighteen months after obtaining the building permit; the second half, eighteen months later. The DDE can calculate it for you. TLE costs on average from 1,200 to 2,000 euros. It is often necessary to add the Cause tax (Council for architecture, urban planning and the environment) as well as the TENS (departmental tax of sensitive natural areas), which represent from 200 to 300 euros.

Unexpected expenses when building a house

The last tip plan a safety mattress (8 to 15% of your budget) for unexpected costs. If you are lucky not to have to use it, you will have a small nest egg to please you at the end of the work.